Press Pass

Harrisonburg treasurer's hearing set to Tuesday

2008-04-26T23:34:00.000-07:00

After being indicted on eight felony and 12 misdemeanor counts of misappropriation of public funds and altering bank deposits, Harrisonburg City Treasurer Rebecca Neal is facing a hearing to determine whether or not she should be removed from office. The hearing will be held at 9:00 a.m. this Thursday, May 1, in the Rockingham County Circuit Court.

According to an article in The Daily News-Record:

"Judge James Lane set the date in a court order he issued Friday to Neal, her attorney David O'Donnell, and Commonwealth's Attorney Marsha Garst, who will represent the petition that triggered the civil case. Councilwoman Carolyn Frank, who took over the petition drive, said she would like to see Neal suspended from office until her indictments on misappropriation of public funds and altering bank deposits could be heard in circuit court."

Neal has repaid the lost $91,000.

It is important to remember that this is just a hearing. Neal is scheduled to face criminal charges in the Rockingham Country Circuit Court this August.

Let me know what you think. Should Neal be allowed to stay in office? Leave me a comment below, and make sure to vote in the poll.

Nothing is easier than self-defeat. For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true. (Demosthenes)

2008-04-23T00:07:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying that there are not too many things that really get me riled up. I hate prejudice, I hate small-mindedness, and above all else, I hate liars. Today I saw something on television that had me absolutely livid. This post is probably going to ruffle some feathers, but I have something that I need to get off my chest.

Tonight I was at my best friend's house for our weekly get together. We had just finished watching Gossip Girl when a commercial came on about paralyzed Iraq War veterans. (I warned you, this is going to get controversial). The 30 second PSA featured a veteran who spent more time working to get out of Iraq than actually fighting in it. After being wounded and paralyzed from the neck down he had to go through all sorts of customs and technicalities just to get home. It was a sad story, told in an unusually upbeat tone. Over countless clips of wounded soldiers the narrator discussed the honor and dignity of giving one's all in the fight against terrorism. The commercial ended with a shot of the featured veteran stating that if he was asked serve again, he would.

I looked at my friend in shock, to which she replied, "I wonder how much he got paid to say that?"

It was a simple question, but it really got me thinking about the role the media plays in presenting information to the public. Based on this 30 second clip, one would think that all veterans were happy to have sacrificed years of their lives fighting for a cause that many people don't believe in. I'm not saying that everyone is dissatisfied with the time they served, but wouldn't it be fair to throw in someone who was? The commercial made it look as though the soldiers were actually happy to have been paralyzed while abroad.

I've had friends die in war, and I've seen men come back from battle scarred, and it's not the pretty picture that the media presented. I searched YouTube for a clip of the PSA but couldn't find anything, so I decided to provide the first part of a documentary on the subject instead.

I know that I've gone on quite a rant here, but I would really appreciate hearing your opinion. Do you think coverage of Operation Iraqi Freedom has been fair? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Back off, Obama!

2008-04-12T23:09:00.000-07:00

The other day I was sitting in my quiet living, watching Big Brother and copying biology notes, when I heard someone run up the steps to my apartment and bang on my door. I answered only to be met with a half-naked, 20-something year old man whom I had never seen in my life, screaming, "I love Obama!"

Until today, I might have agreed, but I just read something that I found very upsetting. According to an article in The New York Times, while at a San Francisco fund-raiser Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) said that "small-town Pennsylvania voters, bitter over their economic circumstances, 'cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them' as a way to explain their frustrations."

Now I'm not from Pennsylvania, but here in Virginia those are fighting words! As someone who has lived in both a small town and a big city, I know what I'm talking about when I say that prejudice is everywhere. Rural areas might have the reputation of being conservative, bible-belts, but it's unfair to base an entire opinion on a few stereotypes.

I've followed Obama for awhile now, and while I would love to see either him or Senator Hilary Clinton (D-NY) take the White House, I can't help but wonder if his statement is going to affect his campaign. There are a lot of voters from small-towns who might be feeling a little offended right about now.

Tell me what you think. Has Obama ruined his run? What did you think of his statement? Leave me a comment below.

You can't stop the fire

2008-04-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

Last night hundreds of Harrisonburg residents crowded South High Street as they watched Dave's Recycling go up in blaze.

While the cause of the fire has yet to be reported, its effects were felt throughout the entire community. The 20 ft. tall flames kept audiences entranced for several hours, and the southern part of the city smelled of smoke for a good portion of the night.

At this time there are no plans to rebuild the recycling center at the location it previously held. In an article published by the Daily News-Record, Fisher said he had been planning to relocate to a larger building before the fire.

Editor's note: The photo at the top of this post was taken by Evan Dyson, a local photographer throughout the JMU and Harrisonburg community. More photos and commentary from this and other news events can be found at Dyson's blog, found here.

Shenandoah man charged with hiring someone to commit murder

2008-03-29T21:48:00.000-07:00

And you thought it couldn't happen in the Valley. Last week Kenneth Leo Alger, 59, of U.S. Highway 340, Shenandoah, was arrested and charged with four felonies, including murder-for-hire, attempting to persuade another person to distribute a controlled substance, attempting to persuade another person to commit perjury and attempting to distribute a controlled substance, according to an article in The Daily News-Record. He was also indicted for making a false statement to police, resulting in one misdemeanor count.

As reported in the DN-R:

"According to an affidavit for a warrant to search Alger’s home, Alger allegedly planned to falsely incriminate several intended victims in narcotics trafficking and then have them murdered. To carry out this plan, he allegedly asked another person to plant narcotics on his intended victims and later, murder them. The person whom Alger approached was an informant for investigators on the case."

I think this just goes to show that things like this can and do happen everywhere. Just because you live in the suburbs, doesn't mean you're safe.

Let me know what you think. Do you feel safe in the Valley? Leave me a comment.

Pilgrim's Pride layoff cuts 16

2008-03-26T15:04:00.000-07:00

As editor of James Madison University's student newspaper I will be out of a job in a week. I've known this for over a year.

As a senior, I will soon be leaving JMU, and it is only right that I pass my position down to another. As not just anyone can do the job I do, the newbies will have a month in the office to learn the skills they need to run the paper next year. In order for them to do this, I have to leave.

I'm not bitter. In fact, I can't wait. But I saw this coming. I can't imagine how hard it would be to find a job had I not known.

This nightmare is a reality for 16 Broadway residents, who were laid off from Pilgrim's Pride this week.

According to an article in The Daily News-Record:

"A truck driver, Otis Parker goes to farms to pick up chickens and delivers them to the processing facility. But, on March 17, management told Parker he would be laid off in two weeks...Parker is among 16 people laid off at the chicken processing facility, part of a companywide cost cutting move, according to Pilgrim's Pride spokeswoman Karla Harvill."

Layoffs happen all the time, and sometimes they aren't fair. There are a lot of hard working people in this area, but should there be some sort of job guarantee created to make sure that they cannot lose their jobs for just any reason? This is unlikely, seeing as how Virginia employers doesn't even need a reason to fire someone. Should this be changed?

Let me know what you think by leaving me a comment below.

The luck of the Irish

2008-03-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

Tonight's post is going to focus on one of my favorite holidays of the year — St. Patrick's Day. I know I'm a day late, but with last night's festivities I didn't have time to post.

I was inspired to blog on this subject by a note I read on Facebook yesterday, from a girl who was trying to correct some of the myths of St. Patrick's Day. She actually argued that it was unlucky and contradictory to wear green! I couldn't believe it, but after a little hard work and googling, I found that she was right.

According to a 2005 article by National Geographic:

"Irish brigands kidnapped St. Patrick at 16 and brought him to Ireland. He was sold as a slave in the county of Antrim and served in bondage for six years until he escaped to Gaul, in present-day France. He later returned to his parents' home in Britain, where he had a vision that he would preach to the Irish. After 14 years of study, Patrick returned to Ireland, where he built churches and spread the Christian faith for some 30 years...In the United States, it's customary to wear green on St. Patrick's Day. But in Ireland the color was long considered to be unlucky, says Bridget Haggerty, author of The Traditional Irish Wedding and the Irish Culture and Customs Web site."

So there you have it. I hope the knowledge doesn't keep you up at night. Or keep you from drinking a green beer next year.

This week's top headlines

2008-03-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

This week's Top Ten (02/23/08)

Violence in Tibet: Monks battle police
By Jim Yardley of The New York Times
"Violence erupted Friday morning in a busy market area of the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, as Buddhist monks and other ethnic Tibetans brawled with Chinese security forces in clashes that brought conflicting reports of deaths. Witnesses say angry Tibetan crowds burned shops, cars, military vehicles and at least one tourist bus..."

Federal Reserve provides emergency assistance to Bear Stearns
By Jenny Anderson and Vikas Bajaj of The New York Times
"The Federal Reserve’s unusual decision to provide emergency assistance to Bear Stearns underscores a long-building concern that one failure could spread across the financial system..."

CIA detains suspected Al Qaeda member
By Mark Mazzetti of The New York Times
"The Central Intelligence Agency secretly detained a suspected member of Al Qaeda for at least six months beginning last summer as part of a program in which C.I.A. officers have been authorized by President Bush to use harsh interrogation techniques, American officials said Friday..."

Environmental Protection Agency tightens smog standards
By Matthew L. Wald of The New York Times
"The Environmental Protection Agency announced a modest tightening of the smog standard on Wednesday evening, overruling the unanimous advice of its scientific advisory council for a more protective standard..."

Federal advisory panel limits anemia drugs
By Andrew Pollack of The New York Times
"A federal advisory panel, in response to mounting safety concerns, called on Thursday for additional restrictions on the use of anemia drugs by cancer patients..."

UCLA medical employees snoop in Britney Spears confidential records
By Charles Ornstein of The Los Angeles Times
"UCLA Medical Center is taking steps to fire at least 13 employees and has suspended at least six others for snooping in the confidential medical records of pop star Britney Spears during her recent hospitalization in its psychiatric unit, a person familiar with the matter said Friday..."

Doctors cleared from charges in John Ritter's death
By John Spano of The Los Angeles Times
"A Glendale jury today cleared two doctors of any wrongdoing in the multimillion-dollar wrongful-death lawsuit brought by the family of actor John Ritter..."

Democrats rush for the White House
By Janet Hook and Mark Z. Barabak of The Los Angeles Times
"Florida Democrats, searching for a way out of their mess of a presidential contest, unveiled a detailed plan Thursday for rerunning the state's primary election by mail. There was one big problem: Hardly anyone who mattered liked the idea..."

'Strawberry Quick' shakes Shenandoah
By Pete DeLea of The Daily-News Record
"Police say area parents and teachers should be on the lookout for "Strawberry Quick," a designer form of methamphetamine..."

Harrisonburg Planning Commission recommends church rezoning
By Jeff Mellott of The Daily-News Record
"On Wednesday, the Planning Commission recommended approval of a rezoning plan allowing Muhlenberg Lutheran Church to go forward with plans to build an estimated $2.2 million addition..."

That's it for this week. Leave a comment about any of these headlines, or post your own!

Spitzer scandal hits Shenandoah

2008-03-13T16:11:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have yet to hear about the Spitzer scandal, let me fill you in:

Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D-NY) has been called out for his involvement with a prostitution ring, Emperors Club VIP. According to an article in The New York Times, federal wiretapping revealed that he was arranging to meet a high-priced prostitute at a Washington hotel last month. Since this information has been released the public, Spitzer had decided to resign. Said The Times' article:

"The resignation will be effective on Monday at noon. Lt. Gov. David A. Paterson, a state legislator for 22 years and the heir to a Harlem political dynasty, will be sworn in as New York’s 55th governor, making him the state’s first black chief executive."

What's this have to do with Harrisonburg, VA? I'm glad you asked.

Harrisonburg High School graduate Temeka Rachelle Lewis, 32, of Brooklyn, was also involved with the Emperors Club VIP prostitution ring. According to an article in The Daily-News Record, she graduated from the school in 1993 with her twin sister, Tosha. The article said:

"Lewis, referred to as "Rachelle," communicated with a prostitute known as "Kristen" and "Client-9," reported to be Spitzer, according to federal authorities in their criminal complaint...Lewis allegedly received a call Feb. 12 from Client-9 about whether his deposit had arrived, reservations at a hotel and train fare for "Kristen" from New York to Washington, D.C., according to the federal complaint...On Feb. 14, 2008, at about 12:02 a.m., Lewis received a call from "Kristen," in which Lewis asked how "Kristen" thought the appointment with Client-9 went, according to the federal complaint."

Small world huh? Let me know what you think of the craziness by leaving me a comment below.

Seats taken, sir.

2008-03-11T21:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a great break and are excited for another week of my news bloggin'. I know you are.

I was looking at the Web site for The Los Angeles Times today and found an article I found particularly interesting. It seems that a public transit operation in Mexico City has created a line of transportation that services only women. After complaints that they were being verbally, emotionally and sometimes physically abused by other male riders, women were given their own bus line.

According to the article,"The all-women buses tend to be less crowded, passengers said, and the attitude is more polite."

Personally, I think it's a great idea. I know people will argue that it seems a little sexist, almost as though women will soon have their own drinking fountains and hang-outs, but I really don't think this is that extreme. If the women did not feel comfortable with their surroundings, it's good the government did something to remedy their concerns. Too bad Harrisonburg's public transport system is so lacking that most citizens can't use it to get around the city. But I'll leave that for another day.

I want to know what you think. Leave me a comment below.

Obama brings in the big bucks

2008-03-01T19:40:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama must have deep pockets. In an effort to defeat Senator Hillary Clinton in Ohio and Texas, the senator has been buying large amounts of advertising and building get-out-the-vote operations.

According to an article in The New York Times:

"The intensity of Mr. Obama’s drive is especially apparent on television, where he has outspent Mrs. Clinton by nearly two to one in the two states. That is helping him eat deeply into double-digit leads she held in polls just weeks ago."

I've been taught in countless government classes that the contender who spends the most is often the one who wins the election. Will this trend follow suit in Obama's race against Clinton? From where blog it looks possible. Let me know what you think.

This week's top headlines

2008-02-23T18:13:00.000-08:00

This week's Top Ten (02/23/08)

Immigrant militia men find it hard to gain citizenship
By Fernanda Santos of The New York Times
"Despite a 2002 promise from President Bush to put citizenship applications for immigrant members of the military on a fast track, some are finding themselves waiting months, or even years, because of bureaucratic backlogs..."

Many hide Hide DNA tests due to insurance fears
By Amy Harmon of The New York Times
"Afraid of having genetic information used against them, many Americans do not take advantage of its growing availability..."

Authorities hunt for rioters who attacked U.S. Embassy
By Dan Bilefsky of The New York Times
"Serbia’s top state prosecutor said Saturday that the authorities were hunting for the rioters who attacked the United States Embassy and other diplomatic missions last week..."

New schizophrenia drug focuses on glutamate
By Alex Berenson of The New York Times
"A new drug aimed at treating schizophrenia turns its focus away from dopamine and instead on the effects of glutamate, another powerful neurotransmitter..."

FDA approves Avastin for treatment of breast cancer
By Andrew Pollack of The New York Times
"The Food and Drug Administration approved Genentech’s best-selling drug, Avastin, as a treatment for breast cancer, in a decision that appeared to lower the threshold somewhat for approval of certain cancer drugs..."

Education tops local funding
By Jeff Mellott of The Daily-News Record
"Localities spent more per capita on education than any another area of government, according to the most recent draft report from the Virginia Auditor of Public Accounts..."

VA House and Senate reject cuts on higher-education
By Heather Bowser of The Daily-News Record
"Virginia's Senate and House of Delegates rejected the governor's higher-education budget cuts Thursday, and instead added additional dollars for the commonwealth's colleges and universities..."

Local youth believes dead Harrisonburg body to be her uncle
By Pete DeLea of The Daily-News Record
"Kim Shifflett remembered the good times she had with her uncle, Steve Nieswander, as her family waits anxiously to find out whether a body found in Harrisonburg last weekend was him..."

City and county fuel budgets projected high for 2009
By Jenny Jones of The Daily-News Record
"As fuel costs continue to rise, city and county school transportation officials are projecting increases in their fuel budgets for next year..."

HDP needs recruits
By Pete DeLea of The Daily-News Record
"Police are searching for roughly two-dozen city residents. However, they're not wanted for any crimes. They're wanted to participate in this year's Citizens' Police Academy, which starts March 13..."

That's it for this week. Leave a comment about any of these headlines, or post your own!

Is race still an issue in politics?

2008-02-21T20:34:00.000-08:00

I was looking through The New York Times today and found a really interesting article on race in recent elections.

The article chronicles a county in Alabama and states that "a few weeks ago, voters in a county that is more than 96 percent white chose a genial black man, James Fields, to represent them in the State House of Representatives. It is a historic first, but the moment is full of awkwardness...Yet in a state once synonymous with racial strife, there is no denying this milestone, for all its tentativeness. Everyone — the voter in Cullman, the Alabama politician, the local historian — is rubbing his or her eyes, a little."

This is particularly interesting in regard to the 2008 primary elections. As we all know, Sen. Barak Obama took Alabama, beating out Sen. Hilary Clinton by 14 percent. The tides really are turning. When it comes down to it some states in the dirty south would just rather have a black president than a female one. I'm not complaining. I think it's great that society is starting to come around. "The times, they are a changing."

Let me know what you think by leaving me a comment below.

This week's top headlines

2008-02-15T15:36:00.000-08:00

The week's Top Ten (2/15/08)

McCain expects Obama to stick to public financing pledge
By Jeff Zeleny and Steven Greenhouse of The New York Times
"Hammering Senator Barack Obama for a fourth straight day, Senator John McCain said here on Friday that he expects Senator Obama to abide by his pledge use public financing for his general election if Mr. McCain does so as well..."

Data implies strain on economy
By Michael M. Grynbaum of The New York Times
"A fresh batch of data on Friday presented a bleak picture of the economy, with rising prices of imported goods, struggling manufacturing and an erosion in consumer confidence..."

U.S. military attempts to shoot down faulty satellite
By Thom Shanker of The New York Times
"The military will try to shoot down a crippled spy satellite in the next two weeks, senior officials said Thursday. The officials laid out a high-tech plan to intercept the satellite over the Pacific just before it tumbles uncontrollably to Earth carrying toxic fuel..."

Lab rats be to replaced by machinery?
From The New York Times
"The government is studying a major overhaul of how to test the safety of chemicals, from household cleaners to pesticides. The goal is to see if robotic machinery can predict what is toxic as well as animals do..."

Wal-Mart goes Blu
From The New York Times
"Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has picked Blu-ray over HD DVD in the market battle for the format of high-definition video..."

Harrisonburg says no to hookah bar
By Jeff Mellott of The Daily News-Record
"A hookah lounge and restaurant are no longer planned for 1400 S. Main St. in Harrisonburg. The Middle Eastern grocery store at the site can continue to operate under terms of a rezoning proposal the Harrisonburg Planning Commission recommended for approval Wednesday..."

Harrisonburg man faces three years after break-in
By Pete DeLea of The Daily News-Record
"A 24-year-old man will serve nearly three years in prison for breaking into his girlfriend's apartment and punching her in the face in November..."

Retail sales up in Harrisonburg
By Dan Wright of The Daily News-Record
"Retail sales grew 1.4 percent in the city and 3.6 percent in Rockingham County last year. In Harrisonburg, retailers rang up $1.09 billion in sales, up from $1.07 billion in 2006, according to state reports..."

JMU dorm search uncovers possible fake ID business
By Pete DeLea of The Daily News-Record
"James Madison University police uncovered a possible fake ID business in a 19-year-old student's dorm room while searching for marijuana earlier this month, according to court records..."

Proposed bill would preserve Virginia farmland
By Jeff Mellott of The Daily News-Record
"A proposed law that supporters say will help preserve farmland in the Valley and elsewhere in Virginia is one of many bills by local lawmakers to make it through 'crossover day'..."

That's it for this week. Leave a comment about any of these headlines, or post your own!

The results are in!

2008-02-14T19:11:00.000-08:00

The Virginia primaries were held on Tuesday with some pretty unsurprising results. Barack Obama took it for the democrats, and John McCain brought it home for the republicans. Here are the official tallies:

For the democrats:

Barack Obama received 627,472 votes, totaling 63.65 percent of the voting population

Hillary Clinton received 349,607 votes, totaling 35.46 percent of the voting population

John Edwards received 5,190 votes, totaling 0.52 percent of the voting population

Dennis J. Kucinich received 1,635 votes, totaling 0.16 percent of the voting population

Bill Richardson received 990 votes, totaling 0.10 percent of the voting population

Joe Biden received 804 votes, totaling 0.08 percent of the voting population

Voter Turnout:

985,698 of 4,465,547 active voters voted, totaling 22.07 percent
985,698 of 4,618,188 total voters voted, totaling 21.34 percent

For the republicans:

John McCain received 243,980 votes, totaling 50.04 percent of the voting population

Mike Huckabee received 198,787 votes, totaling 40.77 percent of the voting population

Ron Paul received 21,866 votes, totaling 4.48 percent of the voting population

Mitt Romney received 17,498 votes, totaling 3.58 percent of the voting population

Fred D. Thompson received 3,368 votes, totaling 0.69 percent of the voting population

Rudy Giuliani received 1,975 votes, totaling 0.40 percent of the population

Voter Turnout:

487,474 of 4,465,547 active voters voted, totaling 10.91 percent
487,474 of 4,618,188 total voters voted, totaling 10.55 percent

As a voter, who is allowed to have an opinion, mine is as follows:

I thought that given the Obama craze at JMU that he would take the democrats, and McCain seemed a sure thing for the republicans from the get go. What stunk was voter turnout. I was shocked that more democrats made it out to the polls than republicans in such a conservative area (why can't it work that way in the actual presidential elections?), but all in all the numbers just weren't good enough.

There's no excuse for not voting. Like Diddy said, "Vote or die."

You better vote, Virginia

2008-02-11T22:09:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is election day, and I want every single one of you to make it to the polls. I'll accept no excuses. In fact, I'm so serious about this that I'm providing all Harrisonburg voters with their voting locations:

Precinct 101 — Northeast —Lucy F. Simms Center, 620 Simms Ave.

Precinct 102 — East Central, Spotswood Elementary, 40 Mountain View Dr.

Precinct 103 — Southeast, Stone Spring Elementary School, 1575 Peach Grove Ave.

Precinct 201 — Northwest, Waterman Elementary School, 451 Chicago Ave.

Precinct 202 — Southwest, Keister Elementary School, 100 Maryland Ave.

Just so you know, in the Virginia primaries citizens can vote in the democrat election or the republican, but not both. They should ask you which ballot you'd prefer at the polls.

So there you go. Everything you need to know in one nice little package. And you said I never gave you anything.

$168 billion stimulus plan approved by Congress

2008-02-07T20:23:00.000-08:00

For those of you who like numbers, I have a bit of economy news.

Congress recently approved a $168 billion economic rescue package that will include rebates for taxpayers and tax breaks for businesses, according to an article in The New York Times. Apparently President Bush and other lawmakers think that the plan will boost springtime spending and help the economy.

According to the article:

"The Senate, voting 81 to 16, slightly expanded the House plan to include payments for some 20 million Social Security recipients and 250,000 disabled veterans who would not have qualified because they do not earn income. The final measure also specifies that illegal immigrant workers not receive payments."

Once again, this tax break probably won't benefit me. Will the stimulus plan help you out? Let me know by leaving me a comment below.

Giants squash cheaters...I mean Patriots

2008-02-04T19:59:00.000-08:00

First things first — sorry about the delay in posting. I have been sick lately and wanted to take some time to relax and get myself better. That said, I'm back and ready to blog!

To start off on a different note this week, I have some sports news. Yes. I said sports. Yes. This is the same Ashley you know and love. I've just been in a rut and need to switch it up a little bit.

I usually ignore the Super Bowl, but last night I just had to watch. Not because I was a fan of either of the teams playing, (I'm not), but because I wanted to see a team, any team, beat the Patriots into oblivion. Why? Because cheaters don't deserve to win.

For those of you living under a rock, the Patriot's were caught using electronic means to steal signals from other teams, a major violation of NFL rules. It's pretty easy to win all your games when you know what the other teams are doing, so I imagine there were a lot of pissed-off teams out there who are wondering why the Patriot's were even permitted to play in the game.

In the end it doesn't matter. The Giants won the most important game of the season, ending the Patriot's winning streak and calming my mind. I guess Kid Rock was right when he said, "You get what you put in, and people get what they deserve." Karma catches up.

Let me know what you think of the Patriot's loss by leaving me a comment below. (And enjoy this...tomorrow's Super Tuesday and we're back to politics).

This week's top headlines

2008-01-26T18:10:00.000-08:00

This week's Top Ten (1/26/08):

Obama takes South Carolina
by Michael M. Grynbaum and Jeff Zeleny of The New York Times
"Senator Barack Obama won a lopsided victory in the South Carolina Democratic primary on Saturday, drawing widespread support from a high turnout of black voters in the first Southern contest of the presidential campaign..."

Early votes shape Florida primary
By Adam Nagourney of The New York Times
"A surge of early voting by Florida Democrats and Republicans has startled officials here and injected additional complexity into the state’s presidential primaries on Tuesday..."

McCain fights hard in presidency
By Michael Luo and John M. Broder of The New York Times
"Senator John McCain stepped up his attacks on his Republican rival Mitt Romney on Saturday, accusing him of once wanting to withdraw from Iraq and likening him to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in his approach to the conflict..."

Spy satellite plunges toward Earth
From The New York Times
"A disabled American spy satellite is rapidly descending and is likely to plunge to Earth by late February or early March, posing a potential danger from its debris, officials said Saturdayhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif..."

Botox kills sixteen
By Gardiner Harris of The New York Times
"Botox and a similar injected drug have been associated with 16 deaths, four of them in children, and scores of serious injuries that occurred after the drug spread to vital organs, a health advocacy group says..."

Ex-Indonesian dictator dies at 86
By Marilyn Berger of The New York Times
"Suharto of Indonesia, whose 32-year dictatorship was one of the most brutal and corrupt of the 20th century, died Sunday in Jakarta. He was 86..."

French bank loses billions
By David Jolly and Nicola Clark The New York Times
"The French bank Société Générale offered greater detail on Sunday about how it said a low-level former trader carried out fraudulent trades that led to more than $7 billion in losses..."

Local teen shot by friend
By Kelly Jasper of The Daily News-Record
"A teen shot a friend in the face Thursday afternoon in Elkton, said police who have taken a 15-year-old suspect into custody..."

Former governor to stop at JMU
By Heather Bowser of The Daily News-Record
"Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore will make a campaign stop at James Madison University at 7:30 p.m. Monday..."

EMU magazine receives merit award
By Heather Bowser of The Daily News-Record
"Eastern Mennonite University's Crossroads magazine recently won an award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education..."

That's it for this week. Leave a comment about any of these headlines, or post your own!

Rocky roads remain despite government effort

2008-01-25T21:06:00.000-08:00

Tired of popping in and out of pot-holes while driving down the street? Yeah...so is everybody else.

All over the country state and local governments are finding it difficult to pay for roads, bridges and other building projects due to the ever increasing construction costs.

These issues may just be the result of bad timing. Some time ago governments tried to come up with initiatives to improve roads and airports, build schools and upgrade water and sewer systems, but most of these plans were created when steady funds were coming in from property, sales and income taxes and when interest rates were low.

According to an article in The New York Times:

"Costs have jumped for projects as varied as levee construction in New Orleans, Everglades restoration in Florida and huge sewer system upgrades in Atlanta. The reconstruction of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis, a $234 million project, has been fast-tracked for completion by December, and state officials say it is too soon to know whether it will come in on budget."

Share your own rocky road stories or let me know what you think by leaving me a comment below.

Thompson drops out of presidential race

2008-01-23T21:22:00.000-08:00

All right political junkies, I have more election news for you.

After placing third in the South Carolina primaries Fred D. Thompson, a former senator from Tennessee, dropped out of the Republican primaries. Upon entering the race Thompson had hoped to win the state.

According to an article on The New York Times' website:

"Mr. Thompson’s withdrawal came three days after he delivered a rambling speech on Saturday night that signaled that his departure was imminent. Aides said it was delayed because he went to Tennessee to tend to his mother, who was ill."

It seems to me like the candidates are dropping like flies. Is your number one contender still fighting the fight? Who do you think we'll be the next to go? Let me know by leaving me a comment below.

This week's top headlines

2008-01-18T19:47:00.000-08:00

This week's Top Ten (1/11/08):

Chess champ dies at 64
By Bruce Weber of The New York Times
"Bobby Fischer, the reclusive chess master who became a Cold War icon when he dethroned the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky as world champion in 1972, has died. He was 64...Mr. Fischer died Thursday in a Reykjavik hospital, said his spokesman, Gardar Sverrisson. There was no immediate word on the cause of death..."

The biofuel debate continues
By Keith Bradsher of The New York Times
"Across the globe, huge demand for biofuels has created tension between using land to produce fuel and using it for food..."

Bush proposes $145 billion tax relief plan
By Sheryl Stolberg of The New York Times
"President Bush called Friday for roughly $145 billion in tax relief for individuals and businesses that he said would “provide a shot in the arm” for the economy, while Congressional Democrats, in a rare show of Washington bipartisanship, pledged to work with him to enact a plan quickly..."

Obama and Clinton trade attacks in Nevada caucuses
By Jeff Zeleny of The New York Times
"Senator Barack Obama sharply criticized Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on the eve of the Nevada caucuses, declaring: 'The American people don’t want a president whose plans change with the politics of the moment...'"

Huckabee walks the religious line
By David Kirkpatrick and Michael Powell of The New York Times
"Mike Huckabee mentioned his faith only glancingly in his stump speech this week at North Greenville University in Tigerville. Discussing presidential decisions that will matter after he is long gone, he added: “By the way, I have made arrangements for what happens after that, and it’s all good. It’s all good...”

New apartment complex to be built in Harrisonburg, VA
By Jeff Mellott of The Daily News-Record
"A request to allow 1,000 residential units on Stone Spring Road to be developed in a high-density zone is a step closer to approval. The Harrisonburg Planning Commission voted Wednesday to recommend the City Council approve the request..."

Virginia superintendent supports Kaine's $1 billion education plan
By Jenny Jones of The Daily News-Record
"On Tuesday, City Schools Superintendent Donald Ford attended a conference in Richmond to voice support of Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's proposal to invest almost an additional $1 billion in K-12 public education..."

Uneasy neighbors prevents Harrisonburg hookah bar from opening
By Jeff Mellott of The Daily News-Record
"Plans for a hookah café at 1400 S. Main St. were put on hold on Wednesday. The Harrisonburg Planning Commission, at the property owner's request, tabled an application to rezone the site. The site had been used for professional offices and the café is requesting that its zoning be changed to allow a retail business there. The change would allow a grocery store operating there to comply with city zoning regulations..."

Plans for Stanley stake park underway
By Hannah Northey of The Daily News-Record
"A committee that raised more than $40,000 to build a skate park in Stanley hopes the town approves a construction site soon..."

I-81 negotiations end after four years
By Katie Prahlad of The Daily News-Record
"Part of a $13 billion project to address the long-term needs of Interstate 81 is dead, but spot improvements for the aging highway are still part of the Virginia Department of Transportation's six-year plan, VDOT officials said Thursday. VDOT announced that it ended a four-year negotiation process with KBR Inc. on Wednesday, after the company requested to withdraw from the project, department spokesman Jeff Caldwell said..."

That's it for this week. Leave a comment about any of these headlines, or post your own!

Snow creates problem for motorists

2008-01-17T21:50:00.000-08:00

The central Shenandoah Valley received six inches of snow accumulation this morning, causing accidents all across the Rockingham County/Harrisonburg area. Police were tied up around Interstate 81 and various other local roads as a result of the snowfall, according to an article posted on The Daily News-Record's website.

The article posted a timeline of the accumulation:

"Around 8 a.m., snowflakes started falling in Harrisonburg, causing headaches for many drivers as they made their morning commutes to work.

At about 10 a.m., the Virginia Department of Transportation reported that I-81's road conditions in Rockingham County were minor or considered to be bare with minor spots of snow, ice or slush.

By 12:45 p.m., the highway's conditions, as well as primary and secondary roads, were escalated to moderate, with snow or ice on major portions of the highway. In those conditions, VDOT recommends snow tires or chains on all vehicles...

Interstate 81 southbound near the Bridgewater exit was slow going for most of the morning. A jackknifed tractor-trailer just south of Exit 240 had both lanes shut down for a time around 1 p.m.

At about 2 p.m., snow stopped falling in Harrisonburg and freezing rain began. But, by the time the snow had stopped, a total of 4.75 inches had fallen, according to the Dale Enterprise Weather Station."

As for me, I stayed in all day, reading, writing and catching up on my reality television. Let me know what you did with your snow day by leaving me a comment below.

Romney beats McCain in Michigan primary

2008-01-15T19:43:00.000-08:00

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney won the Michigan Republican primaries, beating out forerunner Senator John McCain of Arizona.

According to an article in The New York Times:

"Promising to revitalize the distressed automobile industry, Mr. Romney defeated his principal rival, Senator John McCain of Arizona, by winning a clear plurality of Republicans and conservatives, who turned out in greater numbers than they had in the 2000 primary, which Mr. McCain won."

This goes to show that voter turn out really can make a difference. Virginia primaries are on Feb. 12, so make sure to make it out to the polls. Let me know what you think of Romney and the presidential primaries by leaving me a comment below.

This week's top headlines

2008-01-11T21:48:00.000-08:00

I'm going to switch things up a little bit and see what everyone thinks.

For awhile it has been bothering me that I can only blog on one or two topics a post, when there are so many interesting things going on in the world and nation. For that reason, I've decided to post a weekly top ten, featuring the day's biggest headlines.

This week's Top Ten (1/11/08):

Relief on the way for AIDS patients?
By Donald G. McNeil Jr. of The New York Times
"Researchers at Harvard Medical School have identified 273 proteins that the AIDS virus needs to survive in human cells, which could lead to new strategies for combating the disease..."

At least 23 killed in Pakistan bomb explosion
By Salman Masood of The New York Times
"An explosion, apparently detonated by a suicide attacker, was aimed at police officers protecting a rally in Lahore..."

Bush outlines Mideast peace plan
By Steven Lee Myers of The New York Times
"President Bush outlined a two-state peace treaty he is hoping to broker between Israel and the Palestinians..."

Federal Chief cuts interest rates...again
By Louis Uchitelle and Michael M. Grynbaum of The New York Times
"Ben S. Bernanke sent a strong signal that the central bank will lower interest rates again..."

Bush and Congress consider economic stimulus plan
By Steven R. Weisman and David M. Herszenhorn of The New York Times
"Concern about a possible recession is bringing the president and lawmakers closer to agreeing that an economic stimulus package is needed soon, officials said..."

Scientists create stem cells without destroying embryos
By Karen Kaplan of The Los Angeles Times
"Scientists reported Thursday that for the first time they have made human embryonic stem cells without destroying embryos, a development that the government's top stem cell official said would make the controversial research eligible for federal funding..."

U.S. attorney's office accused of leaking anthrax case
By David Willman of The Los Angeles Times
"Attorneys for the former Army physician who was branded a "person of interest" in the deadly 2001 anthrax mailings named three federal officials Friday who they said leaked investigative details that harmed their client..."

O.J. Simpson taken into custody for violating bail
From the Associated Press, printed in The Los Angeles Times
"O.J. Simpson was taken into custody today in Florida and will spend several days in a Las Vegas jail before a judge hears allegations that he violated terms of his bail in an armed robbery case here, court officials said..."

Democrats campaign hard for primary elections
By Maura Reynolds and Ashley Powers of The Los Angeles Times
"The two leading Democratic presidential contenders revved up their campaigns Thursday, rallying supporters in upcoming battleground states and touting big-name endorsements..."

Post 9/11 security rules finalized
From the Associated Press, printed in The Los Angeles Times
"Americans born after Dec. 1, 1964, will have to get more secure driver's licenses in the next six years under ambitious post-9/11 security rules to be unveiled today by federal officials..."

That's it for this week. Leave a comment about any of these headlines, or post your own!